With a core team-of-two, on a shoestring budget, and the help from dope friends, we were able to pull off a music video :)
If you didn't already know: I am an independent queen, doing this shizzle on my own. Well, actually, not completely alone. I have a manager, and she also happens to be my best friend --we've known each other since we were 9.
During the crazy year that was 2020 Casey traveled to Manchester from LA to live with me (and my partner of course). For 5 months she helped me get my ducks-in-a-row, and together we made a lot of magic happen: photo shoots, brainstorming ideas, "getting all the assets together," including the whirlwind that was producing both a music video and a lyric video in two weeks! Honestly, this last year has been crazy, and I would not have been able to do it without her!
For both the Official Music video and the lyric video we sat down for a day and came up with the concept. We put together a shot list and quickly ordered the essential props and doo das that we needed to make our ideas come to life: A mannequin, a tiny toy piano & a cardboard box to construct a podium (just to name a few); We also reached out to our friends who kindly agreed to be a part of the madness.
“We are EVERYTHING” - Casey Nimmer
The phrase that we kept jokingly saying throughout the process was, "WE ARE EVERYTHING." And that's because, between the two of us, Casey and I were director, producer, AD, DOP, sound, talent, editor, THE LIST GOES ON. It was comicaltrying to wear all these hats simultaneously but you know what? We pulled it off, and I truly loved every second of it. And I think we made two solid videos considering what resources we had!
Paula and Friends...
We had an absolute blast running around city centre Manchester with Paula Tishin (our mannequin friend). Although I will admit, carrying her was a challenge --I do wish she would stop being so lazy and just walk herself dammit. Also, we did unintentially scare passers-by along the way --SORRY, we were making art! *insert kiss emoji*
We were kind of lucky that shops and things were closed because it meant we got access to quiet streets, including a very quiet Canal Street, which is usually the buzzing spot where Manchester's queer community hang about and socialise --We would not have been able to film there if bars were open...
Our fabulous cast: Fraser, Sarah, Robin, Ryan (and Paula of course) were such stars --thank you all for helping us make this something extra special. A massive extra shout out to Fraser, Sarah and Robin who stuck through it in the rain so that we could get our final shot; we were lucky that this was the only time it rained while we were shooting to be honest!
If you haven't already, check out the music video and the lyric video below :) Let us know what you think --and feel free to share if you are so inclined *insert prayer hands emoji*
I Wanna Know You (Official Music Video)
I Wanna Know You (Official Lyric Video)
Make YOUR vision come to life...
I know it sounds cliché, but only you can make your dreams a reality. And I believe that if you have any idea in your mind at all, especially if it's a clear one, then it is your responsibility to captain the ship in order to make that idea come to life.
That being said, what you come up with might end up looking different to your initial idea; budgets, time constraints, creative limitations, lack-of-experience --all of these things will have an effect on that end product. But you know what? You still made that thing. You (and your team) did that. And over time, after going through this process again and again, those end products might start getting REAL DAMN CLOSE to the initial ideas that were bubbling away in your head to begin with.
Keep imagining. Keep Making. Keep Releasing it so that you can make space and room for the next creative adventure.
Lots of love and hope to see you in real life VERY SOON!
~QB xo